Did someone mention a Christmas quiz

Osgood

Western Thunderer
From an image search for Hatcham Ironworks came a photo which caught my eye with a link to a set of pics of Hay's Scrapyard, Bridgend, which led to the sets of rail images.

I can think of no obvious connection between George England and the maker of the engine in my photos.

3 clues so far: iron industry - incline - sharp.
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
I can think of no obvious connection between George England and the maker of the engine in my photos.
My mistake.

When I looked first at the top picture I though GWR Dean Saddle tank and then realised that the front handrail was not appropriate... the handrail reminded me of the George England engines which were built for the Festiniog. George England was a proprietor of the Hatcham Ironworks.
 

OzzyO

Western Thunderer
From an image search for Hatcham Ironworks came a photo which caught my eye with a link to a set of pics of Hay's Scrapyard, Bridgend, which led to the sets of rail images.

I can think of no obvious connection between George England and the maker of the engine in my photos.

3 clues so far: iron industry - incline - sharp.

Without using Google or any of the internet. How about built by Sharps Stewart in about 1896 and painted in red for a number of years and Called Lyndesiy (sorry about the spelling), think that it worked around the Wigan pits Etc. At one time the oldest working loco in the U.K.

OzzyO.
 

Osgood

Western Thunderer
Exactly 30 years too young to be this one, Ozzy - but no doubt pretty much identical, the long boiler Sharp Stewart was a very long lived design.

One of my favourite industrial locomotives is ACHILLES, a Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0 ST built 1880 for the Wigan Coal & Iron Co. Ltd. She lasted until 1961 with NCB. Nice works photo in The Railway Foundry Leeds by Redman.

The only Wigan C&I locomotive I know called LINDSAY is the restored 1887 0-6-0ST built in Wigan C&I workshops. At one time a Carnforth museum resident. Let me go and find a book...

For iron, how about iron ore, hauled by this engine and shipped to South Wales?
 

Osgood

Western Thunderer
The engine is identical to those built for the Brecon & Merthyr in 1866 (coincidentally Oz one of the ex B&M engines worked in the Wigan coalfields after disposal in 1890s).

This one ran on a mineral railway (it did carry passengers too), the terminus being a harbour town which is now associated with a preserved line.

Post another mainline photo Dave! :oops:
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
West Somerset Mineral Railway used Sharp Stewart on the lower levels... one was delivered in 1866.

Pontypool...
 
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Osgood

Western Thunderer
:thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs: It was a bit obscure, sorry.

A clockwork model of a Brecon & Merthyr engine HECLA features in Ray Tustin's Garden Railways book mentioned on WT a while back.

Screen Shot 2014-12-19 at 20.33.15.png

Screen Shot 2014-12-19 at 20.33.15.png
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
This is an interesting picture...

wt-wheels.jpg

There are several classes which might be considered for this engine... suffice to say that I believe that there is only one correct answer.

I am aware that there is copyright on this picture - which was found on the web - and I shall edit the post to include an acknowledgement when the puzzle is guessed. If the Flying Squad requests I shall provide information on the photographer and claim fair usage in the name of education.
 
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Dog Star

Western Thunderer
This is an interesting picture...

There are several classes which might be considered for this engine... suffice to say that I believe that there is only one correct answer.
Looks like a set of Castle or Star wheels to me,
To wrap this one up...

From the height of the fitter, the wheels are probably greater than 6'0" diameter which leaves us with 6'6" for Kings or 6'8" for a range of classes:-

a) Stars;
b) Saints;
c) Counties;
d) County tanks.

The photo shows a wheel with crank pin in line with a spoke so that marks the wheel out as from the Churchward or early Collett periods - hence not likely to be from a King. Churchward wheels of the early Edwardian period had a boss that was smaller than in later life (I believe that the larger wheel boss was to accomodate an axle with an enlarged wheel seat to address wheels slipping on axles subsequent to introduction of Saints) - the wheel in the photo has the larger wheel boss.

The wheel has a crank pin of two diameters so the wheel set carries a connecting rod - hence either a centre driving wheel from a 4-6-0 or a leading driving wheel from a 4-4-0 / 4-4-2T. There is no sign of eccentrics so that means that the wheel can have come from only a Star or a Castle.

Toss of a coin now - probability points to a Castle rather than a Star because Castles were built with the large wheel boss whereas some Stars gained the larger wheel boss later in life.

[As a postscript - the date of the photo is late 1950s / early 1960s so that kind of hands the laurels to a Castle... more is the pity]
 
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OzzyO

Western Thunderer
Looking at the second photo with 5094 on the shear legs the centre driver could be the same set in the first photo, looks to have the same wheel boss and the same size of balance weight covering four spokes.

OzzyO.
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
Looking at the second photo with 5094 on the shear legs the centre driver could be the same set in the first photo, looks to have the same wheel boss and the same size of balance weight covering four spokes.
You are correct, see this page for captions to the photographs.
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
Interesting photo Andy - whereabouts? I ask because of the interesting key arrangements... inside on one rail and outside on the adjacent. As far as I know only the GER used such practice in the late 19th century.
 
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